TALAGANTE (CHILE) – Alhue and Mailen have been born in captivity however conservationists hope to free the chicks quickly as a part of a venture to spice up Chile’s ailing inhabitants of Andean condors.
The Andean condor, a sort of vulture, is the biggest flying hen on the earth however its inhabitants is taken into account “susceptible” by the Worldwide Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Purple Record of Endangered Species.
There are simply an estimated 6,700 Andean condors residing within the wild.
At Chile’s Rehabilitation Middle for Birds of Prey (CRAR), conservationists try to spice up these numbers.
“The intention is to introduce condors to nature born from condors that can’t be freed, who’re right here for all times,” stated Eduardo Pavez, the CRAR founder.
The CRAR heart in Talagante, 40 kilometers from Santiago, takes care of birds that can’t be launched into the wild, both as a result of they can not fly or have turn out to be too accustomed to human contact.
The mother and father of each Alhue, a male, and feminine Mailen, have lived within the heart for years and can’t be launched.
– Commemorated however threatened –
The condor has lengthy been commemorated by indigenous peoples within the Americas.
In Andean spiritual mythology, the condor was an emblem of energy and dominated the higher world, appearing as an middleman with the world of spirits and the solar god, Inti.
It options on the coat of arms of a number of nations, corresponding to Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile.
It’s nearly extinct in Venezuela within the north of the continent, whereas the biggest concentrations are discovered within the south of Chile and Argentina.
The best risk to the condor is human occupation of the Andean mountain vary, and a scarcity of meals.
CRAR, based in 1990, takes in all kinds of birds of prey together with owls and falcons which might be injured, have been in an accident or have been stored in captivity.
Its intention is to rehabilitate them and launch them again into the wild, however in lots of instances that’s unimaginable.
Alhue’s mom, for instance, was injured by an influence line and might now not fly.
Mailen’s mom, who was delivered to the middle on the age of about one, has turn out to be too accustomed to people to have the ability to survive within the wild.
Over time, CRAR has already freed 13 out of 25 condor chicks born in captivity, with one other 4 as a result of be quickly launched.
– Instructing by pecks –
Throughout the subsequent six to 9 months, as soon as they’re absolutely grown, Alhue and Mailen will likely be separated from their mother and father.
The mother and father will then be capable to start reproducing once more whereas their offspring will begin socializing with and studying from different grownup condors on the heart.
They are going to be taken to a big cage the place adults that can’t be launched combine with juveniles getting ready for the skin world.
There they will fly round and talk with different members of their species.
“Right here they set up a hierarchy the place the grownup males dominate. They need to be taught that hierarchy, generally by power of pecks, so that they discover their place in condor society,” stated Pavez.
That could be a important apprenticeship for Mailen and Alhue forward of their probably launch within the southern hemisphere in spring of 2024 in order that they’re able to construct relationships with different wild condors, get to know their territory and discover meals.
